Technical Field
This invention relates to the building construction trades and specifically to tools for applying coatings to building panels or other surfaces.
State of the Art
Buildings have historically been constructed of brick, cement block, wood or steel frame and stucco and, more recently, foam blocks. The material and techniques used in constructing buildings is evolving in an effort to increase productivity reduce cost, increase energy efficiency, reduce the amount of wood usage in buildings, and to reduce material waste.
Foam insulating structural blocks have become a popular alternative to insulation, wood and stucco, and are environmentally sustainable as compared to traditional wood, cement block, and brick construction materials. Foam block systems are lightweight, can easily be molded or formed into any needed shape, result in a thermally efficient building construction, and require less skilled manpower to form into a building structure. Other benefits include a resistance to moisture, mold, fire and insect damage. The foam blocks are constructed using materials which are recyclable and renewable, provide good insulating qualities, and are often themselves made from recycled materials. Alternatively, insulating structural blocks for building construction can also be made from other environmentally friendly materials such as straw, wood fibers, paper, and glass, for example.
Insulating structural blocks are coated with stucco, cementitious coatings, or other materials that provide structural strength, protection from wind and moisture, and/or a visually appealing surface to the building panels. However, standard tools for applying stucco do not always work well when applying coatings using advanced coating mixture materials. It is often necessary to apply coatings of uniform thickness to a surface, and the surface may cover a large area. Often the coating may need to be shaped in some way while maintaining its uniform thickness. Thus there is a need for tools for applying coating mixtures to insulating structural blocks, building panel cores, or other construction surfaces when forming building panels used in constructing buildings and other structures. There is a need for tools which facilitate applying a coating of uniform thickness to a surface. There is a need for tools which can shape coatings applied to a surface. Described herein are several types of tools for applying coatings when forming building panels.